Portobello Book Blog

Today Marie Laval is joining me to chat about why she loves to write historical fiction. Her latest novel, Captured by a Scottish Lord, is set in the Highlands of Scotland in the 19th C and she discusses what kind of things she needs to research when writing a historical novel.

Why I love writing historical romance

Thank you so much for welcoming me on your blog to talk about CAPTURED BY A SCOTTISH LORD, my new release by ChocLit UK. The novel is a historical romance mostly set in the Highlands of Scotland, and is also the third book featuring a member of the Saintclair family. I loved every minute of researching and writing the love story between my fun and lively heroine Rose Saintclair and my wonderfully stern and brooding hero Bruce McGunn.

People often ask if I prefer to write historical or contemporary romance. I love writing both, but there is something about historical romance that draws me back time after time. It does involve lots of research, but this is something I have always loved – perhaps too much, as I constantly need to remind myself not to overload the story with facts, however quirky or fascinating!

There are challenges, of course, such as paying attention to fashion and clothing or to distances and travelling times by horse, carriage or ship. One must also take into account the more rigid social order of the period, including the constraints imposed on women and the importance of religion in everyday life.  

CAPTURED BY A SCOTTISH LORD is set in 1847 in the Highlands of Scotland and I loved learning about Scottish history, folklore and music, and reading so many intriguing stories about the Blue Men of the Minch, the Northern Lights or again the selkies…

There were however more sombre events to read about. The story takes place against the backdrop of the Clearances and the accounts of what people suffered were often heart-wrenching. War and battles are also mentioned in the story since Rose Saintclair’s father was a cuirassier at Quatre-Bras and Waterloo, and Bruce McGunn was involved in the Punjab wars which scarred him physically and emotionally.

CAPTURED BY A SCOTISH LORD is first and foremost a love story and I do hope readers enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

About the book

Can a Desert Rose survive a Scottish winter?
The wild Scottish landscape is a far cry from Rose Saintclair’s Saharan oasis, although she’ll endure it for Lord Cameron McRae, the man she married after a whirlwind romance in Algiers. But when stormy weather leads to Rose’s Scotland-bound ship docking on Cape Wrath – the land of Cameron’s enemy, Bruce McGunn – could her new life already be in jeopardy?
Lord McGunn was a fearless soldier, but his experiences have made him as unforgiving as the land he presides over. He knows McRae won’t rest until he owns Wrath, and the man is willing to use brutal tactics. Bruce decides that he’ll play McRae at his own game, take the ship and its precious occupant, and hold them hostage.
Rose is determined to escape, but whilst captured she learns that there’s another side to her new husband – and could her supposedly cold and ruthless kidnapper also be concealing hidden depths?

CAPTURED BY A SCOTTISH LORD is available on Amazon and Kobo and other platforms.

About the author

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie now lives in Lancashire and writes historical and contemporary romance. Best-selling LITTLE PINK TAXI was her debut romantic comedy novel with Choc Lit.  A PARIS FAIRY TALE was published in July 2019, followed by BLUEBELL’S CHRISTMAS MAGIC in November 2019 and bestselling romantic suspense ESCAPE TO THE LITTLE CHATEAU which was shortlisted for the 2021 RNA Jackie Collins Romantic Suspense Award. Marie’s historical romances, ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE, QUEEN OF THE DESERT and CAPTURED BY A SCOTTISH LORD, all feature members of the Saintclair family and her short stories are published in the bestselling Miss Moonshine anthologies. Marie is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors, and her novels are available as paperbacks, ebooks and audiobooks on Amazon and various other platforms.